American Comedian and actor Bob Newhart met his demise on July 18, 2024, at his residence in Los Angeles. Though he has passed away, his contribution to the entertainment industry will be remembered forever.
Beginning as a stand-up comedian in the late 1950s, he later garnered fame and money, bringing financial stability for himself and his family so that he could live a luxurious life later in life. But that’s not always the case, as he grew up in scarcity.
His father, George David Newhart, a part-owner of a plumbing and supply business, was only a breadwinner in the family. His mother, Pauline Burns Newhart, was a housewife, and they had four children to raise. So, the Newhart family had a decent lifestyle.
In his autobiography I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing This, Bob Newhart revealed how his family escaped Chicago winters: “My family didn’t have much money, so we didn’t go to Florida. If we went on vacation, it was to Wisconsin.”
Bob Newhart was the only son of his parents and a brother to his three sisters
Born September 5, 1929, Bob Newhart grew up in Illinois with his three sisters, Virginia Newhart, Mary Joan, and Pauline Newhart.
Looking at their pictures, the Newhart siblings don’t appear to have a vast age gap. So, they went to Roman Catholic School together in the Chicago area. Bob Newhart must have been adored by all his sisters, given he was their only brother.
So, no wonder that Bob and his sisters have had a beautiful relationship their entire lives. All four of them were last seen together in October 2012.
At the time, they had attended the Newhart Family Theater in their hometown and looked quite content being together.
Mary Joan, the older sister of Bob Newhart, became a nun at the age of 21
While Bob Newhart’s two sisters, Pauline and Virginia, settled down in their respective lives, marrying their husbands, his other sister, Mary Joan, became a nun.
Born on March 21, 1928, Mary entered as a BVM at St. Catherine of Siena in Oak Pak. Her first profession of vows took place on March 19, 1952, and finally on July 16, 1957.
After that, she spent the rest of her life contributing to the educational sector. She began as a secondary school teacher. Later, she served as a director of academic computing at Mundelein College and as Computer Center coordinator for Loyola University Chicago.
She also volunteered as a congregational and high school computer consultant for several years.
After 68 years of contributing to the well-being of the community, Bob’s sister rests in peace on March 13, 2018, in Iowa. Her burial location is Mount Carmel Cemetery.
Additional Information
- Bob Newhart’s sister Pauline married her husband James Quan and settled down in Hoffman Estates. Likewise, another one, Virginia, tied the knot with William Brittain of Naperville.
- Bob married Virginia Quinn, known by the name Ginny, in 1964, and the couple welcomed four children together: Robert, Timothy, Jennifer, and Courtney.
- Bob bid goodbye to the living world a year later, and his publicist, Jerry Digney, announced his passing.
